What Is The Best Way To Store My Cannabis In Massachusetts?

First, know it is illegal to cross state borders with cannabis products, and anything bought in Massachusetts must be consumed in this state. You also cannot have an open container of marijuana in your car - it must be stored in a closed container in your trunk or a locked glove compartment. Keep in mind - the marijuana open container law is punishable by a fine! Here’s more information on how much cannabis you can buy at a Massachusetts dispensary and the history of cannabis in Massachusetts. 

Once you’ve safely and legally transported your cannabis home, the key to keeping your products as fresh as the day you purchased them from your local cannabis shop in Hudson, a recreational dispensary in Framingham, or a nearby Pittsfield dispensary, is to properly store them. Here we’ll take you through the different products you can purchase from Massachusetts cannabis dispensaries and the best ways to preserve them for superior quality.  

How To Store Your Flower 

To keep your stash fresh, store your flower in an air-tight, cool-temperature container. Read an in-depth guide for tips on how to store your cannabis flower. If you have pre-rolled joints, store them in individual tubes made specifically for PRJs. The key with flower is preserving the terpenes. The more terpenes your flower loses when exposed to everyday conditions like light and oxygen, the less fresh it becomes. Humidors are also a great investment for this, but if that isn’t an option, control the humidity by adding a terpene shield or pack to your storage container. You can learn more about terpene shields and how to use different cannabis accessories here. Alternatively, Temescal Wellness sells packs like those by Boveda’s. These tiny humidity control packs eliminate terpene evaporation, leaving your cannabis as fresh as the day you got it at your Mass dispensaries.

How To Store Oil: Concentrates, Vape Pens, and Tinctures 

It’s vital to properly store your cannabis concentrates in the correct way to preserve their potency and consistency. Glass jars are very popular for preserving your extract, but one common misconception is that all concentrates can be stored in these glass vessels. Different extracts may be better kept in different containers, for example, silicone packaging. Silicone is an ideal choice for products like shatter that can easily stick. You also want to be mindful of time. Parchment paper or plastic containers can be used in the short-term, but when storing concentrates for long periods of time, relocate your cannabis extract to a more airtight location. 

Vape pens are one of the easier cannabis products to store because they essentially are already packaged and contained in a cartridge. However, exposing your cartridges to too much heat (or lack thereof) can change the taste, potency, and consistency of your oil. Avoid putting your cartridges in the fridge so they don’t freeze, and keep them in a cool place so that they don’t overheat. Another major pro tip: keep your pens upright! This highly reduces your chances of oil leakage and damaging your cartridge and/or battery. 

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Another type of oil you may need to store are tinctures. When kept in a dark brown or blue dropper bottle to block out the light, and in a cool place, you’ll find tinctures can have one of the longest shelf lives of any marijuana product. Now, if you’re in the early stages of making a purchase decision and aren’t sure about which is better, cannabis oil or flower, this overview may be helpful.   

How To Store Your Edibles 

Depending on the type of edible you purchase from your local cannabis dispensary, there will be a different shelf-life associated with it. Like anything you can eat - food goes bad, so always look for a “best by” date. (Something like a brownie will expire before a chocolate bar.) As a standard rule, keep these infused goods in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them for long-term use. Try to also store your edibles in a glass or plastic container, or in a plastic bag to protect them from oxygen. (And if you can get your hands on a dark container, this adds protection from the light.) 

How To Store Your Topicals

Just because you might not be consuming this form of cannabis, you should be mindful of how you store even topicals. Anything infused with cannabis can degrade over time, so applying the same tactics of limited heat, air, and light can preserve products like balms or salves. Temperature consideration is even more important for this product because topicals typically start to melt if left out somewhere warm and not stored in a cool place. 

Shop Cannabis Accessories Online

For more information on storage containers or what accessories you can find at your nearby weed dispensary, visit the Temescal Wellness website, and as always, check out our online cannabis dispensary menus to find what is available at your favorite cannabis shop in Massachusetts! For any questions, check out our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow Temescal Wellness on Twitter and Instagram to see what’s happening at dispensaries near you. 

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